Fiberglass batt installation typically requires the time consuming cutting up or shaping of batts when the need arises to fill abnormally or irregularly shaped open cavities between studs, or insulate around electric boxes, wires, and the like. Furthermore, structures insulated with batts often suffer from less than desirable thermal and sound insulation due to the void areas sometimes found around the edges of the batts adjacent studs or other supporting structure.
In recent years, a number of loose-fill insulation systems have been developed in an attempt to overcome these disadvantages inherent in commercial fiberglass batt usage. In order to install density loose-fill fiberglass insulation in enclosed vertically extending residential wall (stud bounded) cavities in a practical manner and at a commercially acceptable cost, it has heretofore been known to resort to the BIBS (Blown-In-Blanket.TM.) system disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,712,347 and 5,287,674 to Sperber. Many residential contractors and the like use the BIBS system instead of fiberglass batts for the purpose of improving insulative qualities (both thermal and sound) and application efficiency.
In accordance with BIBS, a flexible netting (e.g. nylon) or the like is affixed across a plurality of wall studs in order to enclose vertically extending cavities. Thereafter, hole(s) are formed in the netting and a blowing hose is inserted into the hole(s) for the purpose of filling the enclosed wall cavities with blown loose-fill silicone coated fiberglass insulation. Instead of silicone, other hydrophobic agents which are moisture repellant may be used to coat the fiberglass. An exemplary insulation which may be used in conjunction with BIBS is InsulSafe III.TM. available from CertainTeed Corp. This loose-fill fiberglass when used with BIBS is able to achieve an R-15 at a density of 2.5 lbs./ft.sup.3 when 3.5 inches thick.
The drawbacks or disadvantage of BIBs is its time consuming nature with respect to transporting and erecting the netting. Installing such netting generally takes as long or longer than filling the cavities. Additionally, settling may occur after blowing is complete in certain BIBS applications. Accordingly, it will be clear to those of skill in the art that a need exists for eliminating the enclosing structure (e.g. netting) of the BIBS system.
Spray-on systems for open cavities are alternatives to both fiberglass batts and BIBS.TM. which allow the user to avoid the installation and use of netting and the like. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, prior art spray-on insulation systems/products are properly divided into two separate categories: (i) organic spray-on products (e.g. cellulose); and (ii) inorganic fiber-based spray-on products such as fiberglass.